Our hearts are huge, our home is too small.

Our big, beautiful Jackie-Boy has a new home tonight.

After much crying, agonizing, worrying, fretting and fit-throwing I finally got off the floor and thought of Jack instead of me, me, me.

He is still a bit young to fit into the current Shooter Family situation. He needs, no requires, at least two long walks a day and lots, LOTS of attention. (I'm wondering if he was an only child like someone else I know?) I finally let it all sink in the other night after I'd finally got everyone in bed, took a deep breath and thought, "Okay, now I can walk Jack." The problem was it was 10:45pm. Not the opportune time to walk in my neck of the woods...

Every time I'd let the thought in that maybe it was all just too much I'd catch a glimpse of two Crumb Snatchers running through the back yard being pursued by a smiling white giant. Or even more heart string jerking for me, I'd see a tuft of white hair flying from the corner of Olliver's mouth and recognize the walk of an Alpha Pug who, at least in his own mind, just kicked some Great Pyr tail.

How in the world was I going to bring all this Love Fest to an abrupt end without someone runnin' away from home?

#2, The Animal Lover, is the one who said, "I think Jackie needs to live on a farm where he can just run and run...". Bingo Cowgirl!! Momma was on top of that one like flies to honey!


The tricky part was how do you ask someone to take your dog, "but oh by the way, you have to fill out this 5,000 question questionnaire to make sure you pass my approval first"? I found out real quick. Fellow dog lovers don't have to fill out the 5,ooo question questionnaire...they just start talkin' and you know. Others? Well, let's just say Ashley didn't get to have Jack to teach her 9 week old Great Dane puppy how to be house broken in a condo, and Judy didn't get to have Jackie to keep her frail auntie company at the assisted living community, and...

#2 and I had agreed if we could find a man "like Grandpa who thinks dogs are people" who lived on a farm and "wanted to have a dog for his BFF" well then we'd found our boy a perfect new home!

We did. His name is Rick. And he is exactly what Jackie-Boy needs. He has a beautiful wife who has a heart like Snatcher #2. They are kin. Animal Lovers United they stand.

Here's Jack's new back yard...

Here's Jack's new front yard...

Here's Jack's new side yard...

Yep...horses. He's in Hog Heaven...or Horse Heaven...whatever, it's Heaven.

I am going to have to look at these pics many times over the next few days to remind myself again why I did this...

I am feeling empty, guilty, remorseful...yet hopeful. Hopeful the feeling of relief will come soon. I know we did what was more than right by our big, beautiful boy, but man, I miss him.

The knowledge he will be loved on from dawn to dusk is all I need to keep the tears at bay. Thank you Rick and Janet. You are what my Dad calls Salt of the Earth kinda people.

Thank you from the whole family.


Love Note to my Big Shooter: Thank you for allowing me to come to my own conclusions...in my own time...no matter how long it takes...no matter how frustrating it must be...no matter how much you must want to throttle me sometimes...You're a prince ya know? Don't make me say that again...I'll gag.